Breaking the McQuaids
by firebunee
Summary: Tom and Doug are on assignment at a local high school when a teacher has a really bad day. This is a writing assignment from FYH! I might be able to write a better summary later... we shall see!
1. Chapter 1

**FYH (FeedYourHead77) this was inspired by you... I will be working on this until my brain kicks off again. **

**For those of you who are waiting for updates for my other stories just hang in there. I am having a bit of trouble with that little wrinkly thing between my ears. I think they call it a BRAIN FREEZE! Anywho... FYH gave me a story suggestion and told me to run with it... here goes! Please offer suggestions as you see fit and thanks so much for all the support I know you will give me:-) **

**FYH... I hope I do you proud!**

**---**

"Tommy McQuaid."

Silence.

"Tommy McQuaid!"

Still nothing.

"Has anyone seen Tommy McQuaid this morning?" The frustrated history teacher growled. He adjusted his black horn rimmed spectacles over his eyes. His once light sea green eyes were now rimmed with dark circles of brown and violet. They were deep and stared long and hard like he had seen the earth move more than once through them. The once smooth face was now tired and wrinkled with lines of age and weather. He was around forty-five years old. He had spent twenty years in the military and then moved on to become a teacher of his favorite subject…American History. He was built well with his well buffed frame. He had spent a great deal of time caring for his physique. He stood about six foot three inches tall. He was a bachelor as his wife had left him with their three year old daughter ten years earlier. He sighed loudly as he picked up his red ink pen and began to make a mark in his attendance record book.

"Yo teach!"

The voice echoed loudly in the long narrow hallways that lead into the old part of the school building and the history department. The rattled Mr. Sullivan dropped his ink pen onto the floor as he looked angrily up at his student chomping wildly on his gum standing in the doorway. The students laughed in unison as Tommy McQuaid, aka, Officer Tom Hanson made his way into the room. He walked slowly up to the middle aged teacher and stood eye to eye with the burly man. His blue denim jacket overlapped the red checkered print of his flannel shirt which was tied loosely around his narrow waist. His muscular chest could be seen through the grungy tight fitting white t-shirt. His jeans were faded and ripped out at the knees. On his head he wore a black bandanna to hold his wavy locks out of his face. His deep brown eyes and handsome features were the virtual symbol of the great American bad boy.

"You're late." Mr. Sullivan snarled as he let the boy grate at his nerves.

"Shoot Roger... first period doesn't suit my style." Tom grinned cocking an eyebrow.

"It's MR. SULLIVAN and sit you're as-self down… boy."

Tom clamped down on his gum and thrust his face forward into Mr. Sullivan's face as if mocking the older man.

"I'll sit my… ass down…" Tom winked at Mr. Sullivan spinning around on his heal and heading towards the back of the class room.

The older teacher continued to watch as the anger he felt grew inside on him and began to boil over. He couldn't believe the difference in kids today. They were bold, brazen and downright sassy. He watched in disbelief as Tom made himself comfortable in his desk by kicking his muddy combat boots up onto the desktop. For him the only thing worse than Tommy McQuaid was his older brother Doug… he came in the next period. Mr. Sullivan took a deep breath in and then slowly let it out. He let his mind wonder back to the conversations he had with the principal Bill Trumble.

_--_

"_Roger… you just can't let these little punks get to you like that." _

"_Bill, I try… they just have no respect and I'm about at the end of my rope. I'm gonna snap if something doesn't give with them soon."_

"_Calm down Rog… they really are good kids. I'll buy you a cup of coffee from the cafeteria and that'll make it all better… promise."_

--

Mr. Sullivan reluctantly finished his role call and then quietly placed the pen back down on his desk. He walked over to the chalk board and began to talk about the days lessons. His struggled to concentrate on the lesson but continued to dwell on the sounds coming from behind him.

"Wow… and I thought that paint drying was boring." Tommy McQuaid jibed. "Who knew that the great gun battles of the American Revolution could be so… stupid?"

"McQuaid!"

"I'm sorry Mr. Sullivan… did my freedom of speech bother you?"

The students in the class room laughed and snickered as they watched Mr. Sullivan slowly came unglued. He tossed the chalk forcefully into the tray shattering it into a thousand tiny pieces. The dust dancing in the early morning sunlight as it filtered between the shades and into the windows. There was a sudden gasp as the students watched the middle aged salt and pepper haired man turn red face and look straight across to where Tom sat. The smug smile on his face accompanied with the constant heckling sent the teacher over the edge.

"McQuaid…"

Tom raised his head as the bell rang signaling the class change. Tom slowly stood up and watched as the teacher made his way back to him. The teacher was fuming as he reached Tom's desk. The officer felt a rush of nervous energy as the much larger man made his way over to the undercover police officer.

"See me after school." Mr. Sullivan grasped a hold of Tom's jacket sleeve.

"Right." Tommy McQuaid snickered.

Mr. Sullivan grasped his fingers around the collar of the blue denim jacket. He forcefully tugged the officer towards him. His words hissed across his lips leaving a trail of spittle across Tom's cheek. His words were uttered in a low passionate voice.

"Don't screw with me you little **SHIT**! Mark my words _boy…_I **WILL** take this up with your truant officer. I'm not putting up with you or your kind anymore little punk. Now you will be here after school… Do I make myself clear?"

Hanson let his eyes wonder across the bigger ex-military mans muscular frame. His eyes then caught those of the figure standing in the doorway. He then brought his attention back to the subject at hand. He looked squarely into the teachers icy eyes and then answered curtly.

"Sure… why not. Now… get your _mitts_ off of me."

The older man took in a long deep breath and then loosened his grip and finally released what he thought was the student. Hanson breathed heavily as he pulled himself away from the older man. The older man continued to wring his fingers as Tom Hanson craned his neck to the side in an effort to release the tension that was building and took a deep breath in and then out. He watched as the older man continued to shoot daggers from his darkened green eyes.

--

"Hello!" Doug McQuaid shouted as he walked in the door. He watched Hanson and Mr. Sullivan as the tension between them mounted. He watched uncomfortably as the teacher exchanged words and then he released the undercover officer. There was really no resolve as Penhall watched Hanson slowly turn and walk out briskly of the room. Doug looked in the direction of Tom and then at the teacher glaring coldly at him.

"Tom…. Tommy!" Doug darted out the door after his partner

--

Tom Hanson shuddered as he laid his head back against the wall behind him. He could hear Doug running along the hallway shouting his name. He balled his hands into a tight fist and hit the wall down by his thighs. Hanson let out a breath as he continued to stare icily at the ceiling.

"Tommy… what…"

"I guess I got a little mouthy with the teacher." Hanson cocked an eyebrow. "I have to meet him after school. I think I just bought myself a detention." Hanson tried to laugh but it just came off as a cold snicker.

"Hanson… that's not like you... I mean yeah… you're a McQuaid and all but really you're the polite brother. I'm the sarcastic, mouthy…" Penhall lifted his arm and sniffed quickly "stinky brother."

"Yeah… we'd all benefit from your shower Penhall." Hanson replied drily.

"Tommy… what's that supposed to mean?"

"I gotta go. I'll see ya later Doug." Hanson turned and walked in the direction of his next class.

Doug watched the slighter officer walk down the hallway through the mass of students rushing towards their next classes. Hanson didn't look back he just kept going until the tardy bell rang signaling the students onto their next class. He watched Tom make a right and then disappear around a corner. Doug sighed as he heard the loud voice of Mr. Sullivan shouting his assumed identity.

"McQuaid!"

_Great… now I'm late._

--

Tom strolled slowly into the cafeteria. He grabbed a tray looked at the food being offered for consumption and then put the tray back down. Hot dogs and sauerkraut just didn't sound good today. He walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a carton of chocolate milk out. He shook the carton, dropped the handful of change into the cashier's hand and walked over to an empty table. He slowly sat down and looked at the square box full of brown liquid. He unhurriedly lifted the carton and looked at it. A cow on the side sat smiling… laughing at him. What did she have to be so happy about? All she does is stand around and have some farmer jerk at her teats for ten minutes sucking the milk from her. That just sounded like the worst day a person could have. But then again she got her food, water and bedding all provided for her. She didn't have to run around with neglected kids and over bearing teachers all day just to pay the bills.

"_Kid… you look too young to be a cop. It's the Jump Street program or a desk until you look old enough to be a cop."_

Those discordant words still haunted him today.

--

"Move it dweeb!"

Tom Hanson turned around to see Doug Penhall as Doug McQuaid pushing the poor kid in front of him around. Hanson could feel a slow smile spread across his face as he watched Penhall. The man lived to be Doug McQuaid. Hanson was sure that if he thought about it long enough he could remember when he loved to be a McQuaid. Hell he still loved it… he was just a little burnt out.

Penhall grabbed his food and something off of the kid's tray behind him and walked over to the cashier. He handed her some bills and some change. The oversized ten year old walked over to where his partner sat nursing a carton of milk.

"Little bro… you need more than that to be charming today." Doug announced as he thrust a plate of soggy French fries in front of him.

"Yeah… and if I eat this Ill be dead later." Hanson responded pushing the plate back to Penhall.

"Tommy… you okay?" Penhall asked quietly.

"Yeah… just… not hungry." Hanson mumbled. "Something's wrong here Doug… I don't know what it is."

"My brother… the psychic…" Penhall laughed loudly as Hanson looked up at his partner. He was trying to lighten the mood a bit but it just didn't seem to help

"I gotta go Doug." Hanson forced a smile as he grabbed the carton of milk and walked over to the trashcan. He deposited the carton in the plastic receptacle and walked out of the room.

Penhall raised an eyebrow as Hanson trudged out of the noisy cafeteria back out into the hallway. He watched as the officer stopped to look at the corkboard to the side of the room. He then turned himself back into the direction of the corridor and walked away slowly. Going into a school to bust another teacher running an in school drug ring seemed to be chipping away at Tom's normally calm and easy going persona. Penhall watched the darkened hallway for a few more seconds before he bit into the greasy burger on his tray in front of him. He then turned his attention to the blond and brunette who had just made themselves comfortable next to him.

**REVIEWS PLEASE!!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks ya'll! I am so glad you were happy with the story. I am especially happy that FYH was happy too! I am always open to suggestions so have at it. This is my first "Writing Assignment" so I will be happy to ablige... ENJOY!**

**Chapter 2**

Three thirty rolled around and Tom Hanson and Doug Penhall sluggishly made their way from their last period class and then upstairs and over towards the line of lockers. Hanson was quiet and seemed to be lost in his own world. He shlumped over to his locker and fumbled blindly with the combination lock. He then reached down and opened the door. He flung his ink pen notebook and various textbooks onto the tiny shelves and then slammed the door shut. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Doug Penhall rushed silently up beside him and let out a nearly whispered… "BOO!"

"Doug!" Hanson shouted coldly looking at his partner.

"Relax little bro… I'm just making sure you're fully awake for you detention." Doug replied coyly.

"Detention…" Hanson said the word as he wrinkled his upper lip. He watched absently as swarms of students continued to parade by. "I never got detention when I was in high school… dad would have shot me dead." Hanson responded blankly

"We'll, 'dad's' gonna kill ya you now. You're supposed to be back at the Chapel for a meeting after school."

"Crap! I'm supposed to meet mom after…" Hanson gasped turning and lightly banging his covered head against the roughly painted surface of the wall.

"Yeah… it's her birthday." Doug nodded slowly as a sly grin passed across his face.

"Double crap! Doug… you have to tell Fuller I'll meet him tomorrow so I can get to moms to take her out to dinner." Hanson pleaded with his deep soulful eyes.

Doug grinned sheepishly and then shook his head. "I'll do what I can and then I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Thanks… I owe you big." Hanson smiled. It was the first smile Doug had seen out of Hanson all day. "Off I go." Hanson let out a breath as he turned and walked down the long corridor towards his detention. His boots made a clipping noise as he shuffled along the smooth glassy surface of the long corridor.

--

"Ah… Mr. McQuaid. I expected you five minutes ago." Mr. Sullivan glanced down at the time piece on his wrist and then back up at the flustered Tom Hanson.

"I… uh had to have… Doug let my mom… our mom know I would be late."

"Sit."

Tom looked slowly up at Mr. Sullivan's cloudy expression. He had taken his glasses off and laid them on his desk. Tom made his way around the set of desks taking a seat as ordered. He wanted to respond to his rather abrupt demand defensively but found it better to just sit down and be quiet. He instantly clamped his mouth closed as the older man began to talk.

"What's your issue McQuaid? I mean I have a class full of students that I want to teach and you insist on making my life more difficult. Not to mention there _are_ students in this room who do want to learn something." Mr. Sullivan leaned heavily against the metal and wood desk behind him. He crossed his muscular forearms in front of his blue striped shirt. He squinted his heavy green eyes as he watched Tom's lack of expression as he looked blankly down at the desk he sat in. Tom bit the side of his jaw as he looked back up at the older teacher. To Roger Sullivan the boy was a good looking kid who could easily have the world on a string. He just continued to make stupid mistakes. It would take to incredibly long for the kid to straighten around. There had to be something he could do to convince the kid he should do better job… be a better student.

"Maybe I hate school." Hanson blurted out the most high school answer he could come up with. He wanted to sound tough. To him he just sounded like an ignorant, arrogant kid. Besides it wasn't a lie… he had hated high school the first time around. The only thing good about this job is he didn't actually have to complete any assignments. If he did he just had Judy do them.

_Just play the part Tom… _

Mr. Sullivan wrinkled his nose as he let the words of a teenaged punk sink in. He remembered his days in the corp. If you didn't conform and your platoon got into trouble they had a blanket party for you. You learned quickly that you needed to adjust your attitude or become a martyr for your own cause. Mr. Sullivan wiped his fingers across the bridge of his nose. He shook his head in frustrated disbelief. He then picked up his glasses and put them back onto his face. He looked back down at Tommy McQuaid who had his own arms across his chest in spoiled defiance.

"You're some sort of tough guy aren't ya Tommy?" Mr. Sullivan interjected.

"Pffffff." Tom snorted.

Mr. Sullivan continued to size the kid up in front of him shaking his head angrily.

_What a worthless waste of time. He hates school… I fought for this little "JD's" right to go to school and he just doesn't seem to give a rat's ass. _

Mr. Sullivan could feel his blood begin to boil in his veins. He narrowed his eyes as he ran his long thick fingers through his salt and pepper hair. The term jarhead was the perfect description for him as he wore the haircut proudly. He let out a disgruntled sigh as he slammed his fist against the surface of the desk where Tommy continued to sit in utter disrespect.

"You need to adjust your attitude _boy! _I am making it _my mission_ to get _you _on the straight and narrow. Now get out of my classroom and don't be even one minute late tomorrow!"

Tom jumped and looked up at the intimidating ex-Marine standing unwavering in front of him as he felt his heart sink a bit. He was behaving like a worthless thug. He had a reason for being in the school and for acting the way he did but here he felt like he was behaving like a careless ass. He had a job to do and he was gonna do it regardless of what the other students thought of him and what the teachers thought of him.

"Goodnight… Mr. Sullivan…" Tommy McQuaid waved with a cool confidence the teacher couldn't place.

Mr. Sullivan looked up at his student as he walked out of the classroom. He watched as the kid sauntered slowly out the door through the empty corridor. He was pissed. He was completely pissed off at the behavior of this kid in his classroom. He knew that the next day would bring another round of frustration and name calling. He was downright tired of ignorant self righteous pricks making the environment difficult for all of those students who wanted an education. Then there were all of the teachers who had to put up with rubbish. It was ridiculous. Mr. Trumble told him to just relax and try to understand the lives these children have.

"_Roger they're latchkey kids. They have no mom or dad. Their parents are divorced and working multiple jobs leavening them to raise themselves. You have to try and understand where they're coming from. Just try… okay?"_

The words still angered him as he thought about them. Trumble was so far removed from the classroom that he had no clue. He was a teacher when the students still cared. They wanted an education back then. He had taught in an upscale neighborhood and never had to deal with thugs and gang bangers.

"Understand them… ha! Trumble… you have no clue what you're dealing with."

--

Tom Hanson made his way to the front of the school and realized he had left something in his locker he needed for Fuller in the morning. He decided he had better go back and get it as Fuller was already going to be pissed about having to reschedule his meeting. Hanson sighed loudly as he turned around and headed back up the stairs to the third floor. He rounded the corner towards his locker when the lights all flipped off. He stopped suddenly aware of the dark. There weren't many windows in the hallway in fact there was not a light source near to there. He waited a moment letting his eyes adjust to the sudden darkness. He then walked over to the wall and let his fingers wonder across the slick painted bricks of the inner wall. He could smell the sanitary spray used to decontaminate the restrooms. He took a deep breath and let it out as he began to walk forward again.

"Great…" Hanson mumbled as he finally found his locker in the darkness.

He let his fingers fumble across the surface of the locker until he found the combination lock and began to spin it carefully. He then decided it would be easier if he stooped down to attempt to see the numbers in the darkness. He breathed another loud sigh as rolled the lock around finding the numbers on the black dial. He had begun to spin the lock again when he heard a noise to his right. He cocked his eyebrow as he looked over his right arm in the direction of the noise. There was nothing. He could see small streams of daylight dancing in the distant hallway. He let out a sigh again as he turned the knob again.

"Window'd be nice… got'cha." He whispered.

He started to stand up when something rigid slammed forcefully against the base of his skull. He grunted loudly as his head snapped forward so unexpectedly that his forehead and nose collided with the smooth metal surface of the locker in front of him. Hanson's legs turned to rubber buckled under his own weight. His body sank heavily to the ground. He fumbled to find something to hold tightly too. A hand grasped the bandanna on the top of his head pulling it off to reveal his messy locks. His long bangs fell across the front of his face matting in the blood dancing across his cheeks. The large hand then easily grasped his hair slamming his face cruelly into the locker again.

"UGHHHHH!" Hanson cried out. He thought he heard something move as he tried to drift off into unconsciousness. His body sank onto his left side. He lay still like a discarded ragdoll. His mind wandered over to whoever had attacked him. He wandered if he was finished and going to leave when a silhouette appeared against the dimly lit doorway.

"H-HELP… ME…" Hanson struggled with his words. His face felt like it was completely misshapen. He reached out as the silhouette turned and walked back towards him. He could hear something jingle as Hanson started to reach his hand out for help. His efforts were fruitless as who ever had attacked him was coming back.

"NO… Please…" Hanson shouted holding his hand up in the air in a feeble attempt to stop his attacker. The assault was brutal as one kick after another punishing kick rained down on him. Like fire from heaven the ache in his body intensified until he was fully engulfed with throbbing pain. Hanson struggled to curl into a protective ball only to feel a violent kick to his already bleeding head. He then tried to cover his head with his hands as the kicks returned to his vulnerable midsection.

To his own dismay Hanson remained conscious through the entire excruciating attack. He had hoped that Doug would think he had forgotten something and come back to the school. Maybe Fuller would show up with his mother to pick him up from detention. Just as soon as the beating started it had stopped. Hanson was left bruised and bleeding on the cold white tiled floor in front of his locker. He tried to find the strength to push himself up from the tiles only to fall forcefully back onto his stomach. The pain from the sudden jarring movement brought a choked cough from his lips as his ribs began to throb agonizingly. He closed his eyes and lay completely still on his side moaning softly as he waited to pass out or until someone found him.

--

Hanson opened his eyes to see a completely dark building. No light… nothing reflected in the doorways. He was stiff and sore from lying on the cold hard floor. His head was thumping mercilessly as he tried to raise his head from the ground. He coughed again. With the violent spasm came the splitting torture of his ribs threatening to explode from his sides. He clamped his eyes shut as he tightly wrapped his right arm around the trunk of his body. He groaned loudly as he struggled to find a way to his feet again. He lost his balance and came crashing down on his painfully damaged side again.

"OH GOD!" He shrieked through his clinched teeth.

It was a useless. There was no way he was going to rise from the surface of the cool floor without help. He sucked in a sharp breath through his lips. He then tried to breath through his nose only to find that he couldn't.

_Bastard broke my nose._

Hanson touched the surface of his face gingerly only to feel the explosion of pain all along his sinuses. He could feel the blood as it oozed across the surface of his fingers and than ran like a small river across his cheek and onto the floor. He was a mess and needed help as he felt himself swimming in water that wasn't there. He could taste the bitter liquid as it flowed freely from his lips. Wave after wave of vertigo washed over him as he laid his head uncomfortably on the floor waiting sickening for the felling to subside. He could feel the tiles of the floor chilling the warm skin of his left cheek as he lay on his left side. Honestly it felt good as Hanson's face was on fire and full of swelling.

Hanson could feel his eyes drifting shut. He knew that he should try to stay awake as he was sure he had a concussion. He knew from his limited medical training that you keep people with head injuries awake. He knew he should… someone should have told his eyes that they shouldn't just close as he was soon drifting out of consciousness again. He wanted to leave, to go home. His mother… her birthday… he had missed it.

"...mom…" he murmured as he closed his eyes and drifted off to the velvety cocoon of darkness.

**Read and Review me please. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks so much for the overwhelming response to this story! WOW! I never realized how many were reading this! I am stoaked! You are all so awsome! Please enjoy and remember I am always up for suggestions... **

**Chapter 3**

"This is complete crap!" Tanner Riley exploded as he carried his books up the steps to the third floor.

"Early morning detention sucks." Shelly Snider whined as she too lugged her day's books up the steps to the top floor.

"It's enough to make you drop out of anything afterschool." Pepper Fawley panted as she approached the top landing.

"Wait up Pepper! I don't want to be the last one in…" Kyle Murphy shouted as he ran up the steps. He was rushing around as he was later than normal today.

The quartet was making their way to the top of the steps to the third floor for their early morning detention. It was very early. They had to be in to Mr. Andrews's classroom at six fifteen in order to get credit for serving their detention time. They were all active members of afterschool organizations and they were all serving detention for various acts of juvenile mutiny.

Tanner was known for his mouth with the teachers. He had always believed in talking back as the best policy. It had gotten him out of several lower grades but had gotten him grounded more than once. He was also a top notch runner for the cross country team. Shelly Snider had been in trouble since she came out of the womb. She was an only child whose parents had better things to do with their time than spend any of it with her. She was destined for greatness with her singing voice. She was also member of the band and had carried a flame for Tanner for a number of years. Her biggest problem was getting to school on time and her fondness for the color black. She was always called "the Goth girl" only she hated the term Goth or Emo. She would always tell people: _"I just like the color black. Is that just so difficult to understand?"_ Pepper Fawley and Kyle Murphy had been inseparable since they had hit high school. It was a well known fact that Pepper and Kyle were always being caught making out in the hallway between periods. This had earned them a near permanent spot in early detention since they too were in the band and several other after school events.

"Kyle… were gonna be late. I am not about to sacrifice my spot on the Cheerleading Squad for that." Pepper whispered forcefully.

"Hang on babe… I'm almost… there." Kyle tripped up the last step bringing the others attention back to him.

"That was smooth." Shelly laughed running her black polished nails through her dark chestnut colored hair. She bit her lip as she and Pepper continued to watch Kyle try and gather his pride long enough to climb the last three steps

"Not a word…" Kyle held up a hand to Tanner as he started to speak up.

"10 points!" Tanner exploded bringing an explosion of laughter to the others who had gathered to watch and pinpoint the exact location and who was behind the commotion.

"Come on…" Pepper wrapped a supportive arm around Kyle who pretended to be injured for the sympathy it was getting him.

Tanner pulled opened the door and the group filed in the hallway and stopped dead in their tracks.

"Oh my GOD!" Shelly's face fell as she was the first to see the body lying in a small pool of blood.

Shelly gasped when she heard a muffled moan escape his lips. She dropped her books and ran to his side gently pushing his sweat sticky hair from his pale face. He was lying on his left side. His left arm stretched out above his head. His cheek was half on half off of his appendage. He let out a small cough as Shelly dropped her books to the ground and ran over to his side.

"Shell… who… is he?" Pepper asked as she, Tanner, and Kyle edged forward.

"Looks like that McQuaid kid… what's his name?" Tanner asked

"Tommy." Kyle finished.

"Shew… his brother's gonna be none too happy." Tanner said in a low voice.

"Someone get some help. He's bleeding pretty bad." Shelly shouted as she pulled a tissue from her pocket and began to gently dab at his nose.

--

Hanson could hear voices coming up the hallway. He could hear them but he couldn't find the words to tell them to get away. There could be someone who might hurt them too. All he could do was lie on his left side and continue to bleed. He wanted so badly to call for help but he just couldn't find his voice for that either. His head was pounding so hard that it mad him want to be sick. His ears continued ringing loudly. He could hear loud thundering footsteps as they closed in on him. He could feel someone touch his face gently with warm soft fingers. He could hear her voice; so soft and serene. It felt so good to feel human contact after lying on the frigid tiled floor all night. He was chilled and sore, stiff and exhausted.

"Doug…" he whispered almost inaudibly.

"No… my name's Shelly. Me and Pepper are with you. Kyle and Tanner went for help. You're gonna be okay." Shelly tried to reassure the injured student.

"Pepper… he's a mess. Get me some wet paper towels from the restroom."

"Okay." Pepper nodded almost afraid of what was going on in front of her.

"You're gonna be alright." Shelly reassured again.

Shelly took a deep breath as she continued to asses the man in front of her. He was a terrible site to look at. His nose was obviously broken by the amount of swelling and blood. His eyes were starting to show the black and violet swirls of bruising from the break to his nose. His lips were displaying a sheen of blood where the bottom one was split in the middle. There was also a river of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. His hair was matted in the back with sticky, slick blood from the base of his skull. He had obviously been hit by something rigid from behind. _Who would do this to a kid?_

"Tommy… can you tell me if you hurt anywhere else?" Shelly asked in a soothing voice.

Tom took a shallow breath and then coughed forcefully sending a spray of blood across Shelly's blue denim jacket. Shelly felt horrible as she watched his lips as they fumbled trying to form the words.

"R-R-Ribs." Tom stuttered as he sucked in another breath. He clamped his right arm protectively across his side as he coughed again.

Pepper ran back from the restroom holding a bouquet of white paper towels in her delicate fingers. Some were obviously wet while others were dry. She nervously thrust a wet towel towards Shelly. The seventeen year old female smiled gently at her nervous best friend as she quietly thanked. She then doubled the towel over and pressed it to the base of his head in an effort to stop any additional blood from escaping the injury.

"UGGGGHHHH!" Hanson groaned loudly as Shelly touched the painful spot on the back of his head.

In the distance the sound of sirens could be heard as several sets of feet clambered up the steps towards them. Pepper was visibly shaking as Kyle showed up pulling her off of her knees and into his gentle tight embrace as tears started to fall from her eyes. Shelly raised her eyes slowly catching sight of the nervous Tanner Riley as the school nurse Violet Sanders began moving the students away.

"Shelly… I'll take over you kids…"

"No. I'm gonna stay here and hold this towel in place while you check him out. He says his ribs are hurting and his nose is broken." Shelly maintained her position with who she thought was an injured teen.

Violet looked almost shocked at the obvious disobedience of a student but the principal merely nodded as he and Violet sat down and began to get information from the victim. Violet laid her hand on Tom's side and brought a loud cry of anguish from him.

"Mr. McQuaid… can you tell me who did this?" Mr. Trumble asked. His voice was full of what sounded like a false concern. It was almost like he was annoyed with the fact he had to deal with an injured student before he had his morning coffee.

"D-Don't… know…" Tom choked out.

Mr. Trumble sighed loudly as Nurse Sanders lay her large hands heavily on Hanson's damaged rib cage. The weight of her hands brought the injured officer back to a painful reality. He shifted laboriously and screamed loudly between his clinched teeth as pain shot like red hot bullets through his medium sized frame.

"Dear Lord…" Mrs. Sanders gasped. She gingerly lifted Tom's blood spattered white t-shirt and noted the deep purple and black discoloration on his ribs. He had taken an unimaginable beating.

"Hang in there son… the medic's will be here soon." Mr. Trumble patted Tom's foot. He then stood up and walked purposefully over to the two teenaged girls trying to assist their injured classmate. He looked down at Shelly and Pepper. There was a chirp from his mobile phone in his pocket. He picked it up and walked just a few steps away talking softly…

"Yes… yes… okay… nope… I don't think he will be very soon… don't worry… okay… goodbye."

"Girls I am gonna leave Mr. McQuaid in your capable hands. Let me know if you need anything."

The two girls looked at each other. Both were thinking the same question;

_What the hell is he thinking walking away from an injured student like there is nothing wrong?_

Shelly gently rubbed the side of Tom's battered face. She maintained her position holding tightly to the towel on the back of his head. Pepper had rejoined her on the floor. She had taken it upon herself to motherly grasp Tom's hand. She held it tightly while to her chest while she watched the nurse nervously fuss over Tom. Kyle and Tanner had been sent to the front of the school to help the medic unit find their way to the injured party.

--

"What do you mean he never showed up? Penhall, he's your partner and you didn't think about looking for him?"

"Cap'n… his mom called me this morning. He had detention for mouthing off to a teacher uhh… Mr. Sullivan. I didn't bother him about "dt" because he was meeting his mother for dinner. It was her birthday yesterday."

"Shit Penhall…" Captain Adam Fuller ran his long fingers nervously over his beard as he was beginning to assume there was a problem. His mind was ablaze with so many possible scenarios' all having to do with Hanson being hurt so badly he couldn't fend for himself.

"Captain!" Harry Ioki rushed into the officer not bothering to knock.

"What is it Harry?" Fuller retorted in an annoyed voice. He had a rule about knocking before entering. Something had to be going on for his young Asian officer to explode in the door without regard to his "knock before you enter" rule.

"They found a kid at West Side High; he was beaten up pretty bad. They're taking him to County. The name of the student is Tommy McQuaid."

Fuller felt his stomach rise up in his throat as all the color drained from Penhall's face.

"Tommy…" Doug whispered.

"Let's go!" Fuller shouted grabbing his long winter coat. Penhall jumped up following behind him.

"Booker, Hoffs my car, now!" Fuller shouted as he and Penhall continued their trek through Jump Street Chapel and out the door. "Ioki… call Hanson's mom and then go pick her up. I don't want Hanson's cover blown yet. Bring her to the hospital and find me. I'll fill her in on what's going on.

**Please read and review...**


	4. Chapter 4

**thanks again! Hope you enjoy the next chapter. There is more to come!!!**

**Chapter 4**

"Fuller, the case is yours if you want it." The Chief of the Metro Police Department advised.

"Great… thanks... and remember what I told you. Yeah… Tommy McQuaid… juvenile… yeah… no names. Thanks I'll tell him."

Adam Fuller hit the red "END" button on his mobile phone to hang it up. He then deposited it back onto the console beside him. He glanced in the rearview mirror at the two officers sitting quietly in the back seat. Dennis Booker sat on one side of the car staring blankly out the window at the scenery passing swiftly by. He had his right hand against his head almost holding it up and in place. Occasionally he would blink his emotionless dark eyes as the group continued to pass landmark after landmark. Doug Penhall sat on the other side looking down at the back of Fuller's driver's side seat. His brown eyes carried the weight of the world behind them. He fumbled with the torn corner of his ragged flannel shirt. He then glanced up slowly catching Fuller's hawk like stare in the rearview mirror. He then turned his attention quickly to the window watching the other cars as they zipped by. Judy Hoffs sat to Fuller's right gripping her knees tightly as the nervousness of the situation took control of her. She felt her stomach tumble and churn with every second they sat in the car. Her first concern was defiantly for Tom but then there was the bitterness gnawing away at her. _Who could beat a kid this badly and then just leave him?_ This kind of thing happened everyday… but still. _What if Tommy had been a seventeen year old high school student? Would anyone have cared if he was beaten and didn't show up at home that night? Why hadn't Hanson's mother called Fuller when he didn't show up for dinner? Why, why, why!_ Everyone in the car was lost a million miles away from their present location. They carried with them questions they didn't seem to know the answers to now.

It was always hard when one of your own was injured. Fuller had never really considered the strain it put on each of them living with the malicious assault of Tom Hanson.

"We got the case." Fuller stated interrupting the thoughts of his officers.

"That's great." Judy smiled as she flexed her fingers and then placed her right hand between her head and the window pane. She then leaned heavily against the semi-soft surface .

"I thought we already had this case." Booker snapped.

"We did… then a "student" got the crap beat out of him and Metro was called in. We are taking over responsibility for the case from Metro. The last thing we need is Tom Hanson's cover splashed all over the news." Fuller explained while watching the road.

"So where does that leave me?" Penhall questioned.

"You're still on the inside. Hopefully Tom will be able to go back in with you eventually and Booker…"

"Booker!" Penhall seethed. "Tom is _my_ partner and he and I started…"

"Oh yeah… well... you, Penhead, let your partner get his ass kicked…"

Fuller turned the steering wheel rapidly to the right and pulled into a parking spot. He slammed his breaks and snapped the car hastily into PARK. He turned the ignition key to the off position. He then rapidly turned himself around and looked at the two men arguing in the back seat.

"Oh hell no!" Booker shouted. "I never would have left him alone…"

"Screw you Dennis!" Doug shoved his index finger into Bookers face. Both men wore the color of cherry red on their faces as they continued to squabble. "That wasn't my fault…"

"Guys stop…" Judy turned and did her best to try and split up the potential explosion in the back seat.

"ENOUGH!" Fuller shouted at the top of his lungs. "_**This**_ isn't going to solve anything! Hanson is here and needs as much of our support as possible. We need to get along and find out who did this. Penhall is staying in. Booker is going in. Ioki and Hoffs are going to be questioning students. This case is priority and I don't want anymore arguing about it! **Am I clear**?"

"Crystal." Booker snorted crossing his arms in front of his chest and looked out the window at the multi level hospital building.

"Yes." Penhall huffed turning his attention back down to his worn out tennis shoes.

"Good. Let's go find Hanson."

--

Tom Hanson lay sleeping somewhat peacefully in a hospital bed. He had dark rings whisking around his eyes. His nose was swollen from top to bottom with violet, black and scarlet colored angrily all over it. There was a strip of tape and gauze had been attached to the surface to prevent any movement to the delicate damaged bones to his face. The corner of his mouth was black-and-blue and had two small butterfly strips over a split to the side his lip. His head was wrapped lightly to prevent bleeding from the base of his skull. He slept lightly with his lips parted in an effort to breath easier.

There was a wrestling behind the hospital room door. His eyes cracked open slightly when he heard the light noise. The door then opened to reveal his mother. She smiled brightly through her tears. She lightly dabbed at the corners of her eyes and adjusted her glasses as she walked slowly into the room. She pulled a chair up to the bed and lifted her sons hand into her own.

"Tommy…" she whispered touching his head lightly with her free hand.

"Ma…" Tom swallowed hard as he fought to open his swollen eyes.

"Shhh Champ… you're gonna be okay. You have a mild concussion a broken nose and some bruised ribs. Harry's out in the hallway and Captain Fuller is on his way over."

"Harry…" Tom swallowed again. He let his tongue wonder along the side of his lip where a scab had formed. "Mild concussion… feels like… my head split… in two." Hanson clinched his teeth together and closed his eyes grimacing from the effort to talk. He turned his head to the side. His forehead began to glisten with a sheen of perspiration. He let out a nearly silent groan as he struggled with some unknown assailant.

"Son…" Margaret Hanson felt her stomach rise up to her throat. "Tommy…" she brushed her fingers along his flushed cheeks as he started to relax. She looked nervously around the room at the machines everywhere. He was still hooked up to a cardiac monitor which had begun beep rapidly and then slow down to a softer more steady pace.

"Is everything alright in here ma'm?" A nurse strolled into the room. She walked over the IV pumping clear liquids into her son's arm. She examined the bag and then looked at the monitor watching his sinus rhythm. She pressed a button and printed out a sheet of paper to look at it.

"He… he seems a little uncomfortable." Mrs. Hanson looked at the nurse with a plea for help.

The nurse walked over to the bedside. She tried to force a smile but was only able to produce thin lines across her young face. She looked down at Tom with her bright blue eyes. She let out a breath as she then looked up at his mother.

"He is uncomfortable. He's on a high dose of pain killers. I'm afraid to give him to much more right now. The doctor will be in soon and she might give him another shot but there isn't much more I can do right now. Between his ribs and his broken nose, I'm not entirely sure which would be worse."

Margate let out a soft sigh and nodded her head.

"Thank you anyways."

"Sure… I'll be in to check on him soon. He's having spasms in his side. They are caused by the muscles contracting and releasing. He'll get over them soon. His body just needs rest. If you need anything or… if I can do anything for him… please let me know." The nurse offered another smile as she turned to leave. Her blond pony tail bouncing against her thick shoulders as she walked out. "His brother can go in and one additional can go in. Keep it brief and please one at a time." It was a parent that Fuller, Hoffs, Booker and Penhall were all out in the hallway waiting to see their injured friend.

"Doug… Adam…" Margaret Hanson fell into the arms of the two officers.

"How is he?" Captain Fuller asked as he pulled Margaret Hanson in for a tight embrace and then patting her lightly on the back.

The two pulled away as Penhall looked at his friend lying battered and bruised in a hospital bed. He was a mess. His face was so puffy and bruised. He looked almost like he had a bad stage make-up job. Penhall licked his lips as he slowly approached the bed. His brow was furrowed with worry and reluctance. What was he supposed to do?

"He's sore. They say he'll be fine in a couple of weeks, but he's going to be in a lot of pain for a while." Mrs. Hanson replied as she turned her attention to Doug.

The big man had his hands tucked into his pockets nervously looking up at Hanson and then down at his feet. He had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach each time he looked at his friend. He blamed himself_. If he had just gone back; If he hadn't let Dorothy start in on him over the phone about taking too much time with his kiddy cop job. He should have just kicker her mouthy ass out after that. There were just too many "ifs"._

"This is all my fault." Doug blurted out.

"No… no this is nobody's fault." Margaret tried to ease by rubbing her hand over Doug's shoulder and arm. "Go and talk to him Doug… he needs you right now." Margaret smiled and nodded her head at Penhall who let out a deep tormented sigh. "I'm gonna talk to Adam okay… you talk to Tommy."

"Yeah." Doug wiped a hand across his face nervously as he crossed the rest of the room to Tom's bed. He was uncomfortably out of place here. _I should be out busting down the door of the jerk Sullivan's house. It had to have been him. He had been with Hanson before all of this…_

"Doug…" Hanson's voice sounded raspy as he tried unsuccessfully to open his eyes again. There were the smallest slits in them as he tried to look at Doug.

"Yeah buddy… I'm here." Doug sat down in the chair next to Tom.

"How… do I look." Hanson asked.

"Like... you have had the worst hangover ever." Doug tried to laugh as he turned his head and looked at the floor.

"Damn… I… was hoping… to score a sympathy… date with a hot nurse because… of this." Hanson panted.

Doug forced a smile as he looked back up at Tom.

"I'm sorry man." Penhall apologized softly.

"Not… your fault… Doug." Hanson turned his head towards Doug, gingerly bringing his hand up to Doug's. Doug looked at the offering and then at Tom. He let out another sigh as he grasped his best friend hand in his own.

"Thanks Tommy." Doug smiled as he was let off the hook by Tom. "Were gonna find him… before he… does this again."

Hanson let out a gasp as he clamped down harder on Doug's hand and struggled through another painful spasm in his side. Penhall turned ghost white as Tom clinched his teeth as began to pour sweat as the pain increased.

"Tommy…"

Margaret and Adam walked over to Doug who looked desperately up at the two. He shook his head as Margaret gently laid her hand on Tom's shoulder and took his hand with her free hand.

"It's okay Tommy… just relax." She gently soothed.

A single tear ran down the side of his face and then into his hair as he lay propped up by pillows. It was over soon as he started to relax and then it was over. The beeping on the cardiac monitor returned to normal as Adam patted Mrs. Hanson on the back and then looked at Tom.

"Tommy… you get better. I'll see you later. Dennis, Judy and Harry are all outside waiting to see you when you're ready."

Tom nodded his head slightly as he tried to regain his composure. His mother gently wiped the tear from his eye as Doug looked on. She looked up from her son to her son's best friend as the young nurse who had talked to her earlier can in to check Tom's vitals again.

"He's gonna be alright Doug. Just don't do anything stupid when you get to school tomorrow; I know it'll be tempting with your little brother in the hospital and all. Just remember I can't afford two sets of medical bills." She stated with a wink.

"Sure… mom." Doug answered.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry the Holiday's are getting the better of me... have a great Christmas Eve and a Blessed Christmas! **

**Chapter 5**

The day started as normal. Penhall got up, got showered and got dressed. He opened the refrigerator door and pulled out the open orange juice container and shook it wildly. He listened for the liquid to reverberate against the side of the orange plastic bottle. Satisfied with the amount of liquid contained in the bottle he unscrewed the cap, tilted the opening to his lips and felt the cold orange flavored liquid as it slipped down his throat. Once content with what he had consumed he screwed the lid back on and put it back on the top shelf of his refrigerator. He looked around at what once resembled food and decided he would have better luck with the cabinet above the sink. Before he could get there he found the leftover pizza from the night before and decided that would be the best breakfast. He opened the lid and took the slice of pepperoni pizza and bit into the now cold doughy crust. The cold tomato sauce and congealed pepperoni and cheese wasn't near as good the second time around, but it too would do. He looked at his watch and realized he had fifteen minuets to get to the chapel and meet with Booker and Fuller. He swallowed his last bite of pizza and headed for the door.

_Shit… Dennis Booker! How the hell did I get Dennis Booker! I can't stand his stupid, sarcastic, ass. Sure, he helped to get Hanson off the hook but come on. How many more times do I have to work with him before I can work with Hoffs or Ioki again? Hell, I would rather work with Fuller than Booker. At least with the captain I know where I stand. _

--

"Good of you to join us." Fuller remarked as Doug walked slowly through the door to his office. "Have a seat." He motioned to the chair across from him. Booker sat in the other immediately next to Penhall's.

Doug Penhall sat down slowly on the hard unforgiving surface as Fuller began.

"I got a call from Margaret Hanson last night, Tom's in good shape. She thinks he'll probably be released later tomorrow." Fuller sat back in his leather chair his elbows resting on the arm rest of the chair, and his fingers joined in front of him.

"That's good." Penhall acknowledged cautiously.

"Any leads on who did this?" Booker asked leaning heavily on the left arm rest of the chair.

"Hoffs and Ioki have begun interviewing the kids who found Hanson and they said they didn't know anything. One of the kids… Shelly Snider remembers the principle Bob Trumble taking a phone call from someone while they were waiting on the medics." Fuller picked up a manila folder and handed it to Booker to look at.

"Has anyone checked out Roger Sullivan? He had Hanson had it out after class. He was also the last person with Hanson after this all happened. He had him in detention." Doug inquired.

"Maybe you should feel him out Penhall. After all Tommy is your little brother." Fuller raised an eyebrow at Doug.

Doug squinted at Captain Fuller and then looked at Booker.

"What the hell do you mean by that Cap?"

"Well Doug… if you had a little brother and he got his ass kicked by someone… wouldn't you be gunning for who did it? Just… don't do anything… "stupid" Officer Penhall."

"Who… me? I wouldn't dream of it Captain Fuller." Doug pointed to himself and then cocked his left eyebrow.

"Well Doug… that scares me more than you know." Fuller stated.

"I won't let him get himself into too much trouble." Booker looked to his right as he gnawed on a toothpick.

"This is going to turn out so badly for me. Better yet I'll send Ioki and Hoffs in to question Sullivan." Fuller said as he leaned forward in his chair again rubbing his forehead. "You know your cover Doug. Booker… you're a transfer from Eastern. You spent the last two years in juvenile correction for assaulting a student and a teacher. You, Doug and Tommy knew each other while on the inside. You two need to keep an eye on each other and watch for anything suspicious."

"Got it!" Dennis pushed his chair as he stood up thumbing through the file folder. "Hey look, I got an "A" in shop" Booker chuckled. "Dennis Adams… hmmm… that's a new one."

"Great." Doug whispered loudly as he stomped out of the room.

--

"Hey Captain Fuller… can I talk to you?" Sal Banducci also known as Blowfish walked towards Adam Fuller as he walked out of his office.

"What is it Sal?" Fuller asked while continuing to walk.

"Hey… you know I was talking to Hanson about the dude who attacked him…"

Fuller stopped in his tracks and looked down at Blowfish who continued to talk very animated at him.

"You were talking to Hanson about this case?" Fuller furrowed his brow as he continued to watch the noticeably shorter Jump Street Chapel Sanitation Engineer.

"Yeah… anyways…"

"Why were you talking to Hanson about a case?" Fuller interrupted.

"Well… you know… I have a curiosity about things. Besides Tommy's my friend."

Fuller sighed loudly as he turned his attention to the filing cabinets in front of him. "Sal… if you have a point please make it. I have a meeting with the Chief of Metro in ten minutes."

"Oh… sure… anyways… I... I mean he told me he heard a noise coming from the person who attacked him." Sal nodded his head and winked at Fuller.

Adam Fuller rolled his eyes as he dug a file out of the filing cabinets. He slammed the drawer shut and looked back down at Blowfish. "Is that it… he heard a noise." Fuller raised his eyebrows expecting something else.

"Oh yeah… he said it sounded like something jingling." Sal grinned as he waited for anything to assure him that Captain Fuller had understood him. His eyes sparkled beneath the dark rims of his oversized glasses.

Fuller smiled and wiped his fingers across his face. He took in a deep breath as he looked to the side.

_Be nice… he's only trying to help._

"That's it?" Fuller asked initiating a nod from Sal who was standing proudly in his drab gray janitorial jump suit. "The last toilet women's restroom is clogged. Get to work." Fuller patted Blowfish on the back as he walked past him and towards his office where he grabbed his overcoat and flipped his light out and then headed out the door.

Sal stood dumbfounded. He had just given Adam Fuller so much information and he was just shot down. Didn't his detective work count for anything? He tried not to let the disappointment reflect on his face as he took a deep breath and then let it out. "The toilet in the women's restroom is clogged…" he quoted in a mocking tone. "Man can't get no respect around here." He headed to his broom closet where he grabbed the plunger and picked it up. He looked at the black rubber stopper on the end. He thought about his wife and numerous children. "I love my job… Rosie… I do it all for you baby."

--

Doug Penhall walked towards his American History class. His sights were glued to the man standing inside of the door. He walked purposefully into the classroom where students were starting to gather for their second period class. He walked straight past the students who all the sudden were quiet as he stormed into the room. His eyes continued to remain on his target. He walked past another student who was holding a piece of paper in his hands and pointing at something asking Mr. Sullivan for assistance. He pushed past the student when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Doug McQuaid!" Dennis Booker said loudly. "Holy shit… sorry… man I haven't seen you since… what's it been? Two years?"

"I guess." Penhall seemed upset to have been stopped in his mission. He maintained eye contact with Roger Sullivan.

"Dennis Adams, young man, I realize you're new but I will not tolerate that kind of language in my classroom. Do I make myself clear?"

Dennis recoiled rather quickly as he bit down on a mocking snicker. Booker leaned his neck to the right and then the left as he loosened up the stiff muscles. He then cocked an eyebrow as he grinned at Mr. Sullivan.

"So you must be the drill sergeant." He commented offensively.

"This is your first day… so I'll over look your bad manners if you'll sit down in your seat and keep quiet for the next forty minutes." Mr. Sullivan responded coldly as he pointed to the empty desk in the back row. "And you, Mr. McQuaid… I understand you're upset about what happened to your brother. But you need to take your seat and keep yourself under control in my classroom."

Doug Penhall continued to hold his position next to Dennis Booker. He let his eyes continue to gouge holes in the older man. There was so much evidence pointing to Sullivan that it just continued to consume him.

"I said SIT DOWN!" The teacher took a threatening step towards Penhall who locked eyes with the older man.

Doug narrowed his line of vision as he squinted his brown eyes. He lowered his chin towards his chest and he stood straighter. He puffed out his chest in smooth defiance of the teacher. The officer behaved like a man seeking revenge for his brother's savage assault. The unfortunate circumstances had Doug Penhall on the edge of his last nerve. He was on the verge of falling hard down a chasm of darkness and violent obsession. It had been his responsibility to make sure Hanson had made it home that night but he was too consumed with his own personal affairs and had let his best friend down. The only problem with his assumption was that the evidence surrounding his case was all circumstantial. Sure… it pointed directly to Roger Sullivan. But then again someone else had something to do with this too.

"Now!" Sullivan pointed at Doug's empty desk.

"Doug… Douggie… Douglas…" Booker grabbed a hold of Doug's jacket sleeve and tugged on it. His new partner stood rigid as he continued to stand his ground.

"Is there a problem here?" Principle Bill Trumble asked as he walked into the classroom. He crossed into the classroom his right hand tucked in his pocket. He could be heard almost across the school from the jingling of change in his hip pocket. He patted Doug on the shoulder as he stopped in front of Sullivan, Penhall and Booker. Mr. Trumble was an incredibly tall man who stood very statuesque in his perfectly tailored business suits. He was in his late forties. He smiled brightly as he found it best to be the best friend to the students as opposed to being their head disciplinarian and educator at the school. He sported a cleanly shaved face all but the neatly trimmed mustache and beard that grew from his face and chin. He left his hand on Penhall's firm shoulder as he smiled at Doug and Dennis.

"No." Doug growled.

"Yeah… were getting along grandly." Sullivan seethed as he raised his right eyebrow.

"Well that's great. Whey don't you two gentlemen take your seat for me and let Mr. Sullivan start his class." Trumble smiled limply as he thumped Penhall on the shoulder. "Boy you have strong shoulders youngster… you ever thought of football."

Doug looked coldly over his shoulder at the principal grinning with the same overly friendly stare he always had. Like he had known you since you were in diapers. He acted as if he was your best buddy and yet he was completely removed from the darkness that loomed over his school.

"No." Doug answered with the same frigidness in his voice.

"That's a shame. Coach Nixon would be thrilled to have you." Trumble flashed a pearly white toothy grin at Penhall who wrinkled his brow and walked back to the back of the classroom and planted himself at an empty desk. Trumble turned and walked towards Sullivan. He rubbed his thumb over his lower lip and then looked down at Sullivan. "See… they respond well to being their friend. Try it sometime." He turned and walked out of the room shutting the door behind him.

--

"I thought something was going to happen in there Mr. Trumble." Willy Burke stated standing outside of the door. "That's the brother… of…"

"I know who it is. He's fine. He's had some stress. He'll be fine." Mr. Trumble flashed a smile at the janitor who stood in the doorway. "Why don't you go ahead and get your work finished and take lunch son."

"Yes sir." Burke smiled as he pushed the sleeves up on his dank blue janitorial garb. He grasped the wooden handle of the mop in his hands and began to push the yellow bucket down the hallway. His arms flexed, involuntarily rippling the solid muscles of his heavily worked arms.

--

"Can you tell me anything else at all about that morning?" Judy Hoffs and Harry Ioki had interviewed all the witnesses and were preparing to throw their pens and notepads up in the air. Nothing was all they had gotten. All of the kids were afraid of what they had seen. They were good kids who were normally good students but they had messed up on their path of life. Shelly Snider had been able to offer nothing either.

"I wish I could tell you something else." Her brow furrowed on her forhead as she watched Principle Trumble walk into his office.

"Shelly… are you alright?" Harry asked gently.

"I… there is something else." Shelly said still watching the principle.

Harry turned his attention to the man sitting at his desk sipping steaming liquid from a glass mug. He watched the principle for a moment and then turned his attention back to Shelly.

"Shelly… do you think…"

"Principle Trumble got a phone call. He tapped Tommy on the foot and walked away from us. I thought that was sort of strange." She stated.

"Well cell phones are a nuisance but I hardly think that a phone call is out of the ordinary for a principle." Judy Hoffs stated raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah… but Tommy was bleeding really badly; and he seemed less concerned about him when he got the call. It was like he was concerned with whoever was on the other line. I mean I know that he has all kinds of priorities… but… shouldn't the principle be _**more**_ _**concerned**_ with a kid who was found bleeding and nearly unconscious in the hallway at six thirty in the morning?" Shelly still had her brow furrowed when she looked down at the floor. "Is he alright?"

"Tom is gonna be fine. Thanks for your time Shelly." Harry replied with a similar look of concern on his face. As he grabbed Judy up from her chair and the two walked out of the empty classroom.

"What?" Judy asked stopping dead in her tracks as they cleared earshot of others.

"Jude… she made sense. The deal with the phone..."

Judy took in a deep breath as she realized he was right. "Oh my… do you think…"

"I don't know Jude. We need his phone records… we need to know who he was talking to at six thirty yesterday morning."

**Now... Read and Review!!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it took so long... I have been sick! Please enjoy and I hope that this chapter isn't a let down as I am not really happy with it right now.**

**Chapter 6**

"What the hell are you thinking Penhall?" Booker snarled as the two officers sat down inside of Dennis Booker's flat black Monte Carlo.

"What the hell am I thinking? Booker… that man attacked _my_ partner. He beat him and left him to rot all night in the hallway of this GOD forsaken school. He could have died there." Penhall growled back. He flung his backpack haphazardly over the back of Booker's black leather seats. He leaned his head heavily towards the window letting out a deep sigh as he waited for the roar of the engine.

"Doug you're gonna blow this for us and Tommy if you don't get a grip on yourself!" Dennis scowled at Penhall as he watched the bigger officer turn and look at Booker with bitter, spiteful rage on his face.

"Screw you Booker! Everyone at Jump Street knows that you couldn't give a rat's ass about Hanson or anyone else for that matter." Penhall shoved his fist towards Dennis in retaliation for the remarks.

"Cool it Doug!" Booker shouted as he shoved his own fist towards Penhall in willful revenge. "You can stop the pitiful self righteous act any time now."

"What?" Penhall spat back.

"You heard me! You can cut out the bullshit about being out to score an ass kicking for Hanson. The only reason you're putting on this show is because you fucked up! You left Hanson alone in that building knowing full well that you _never_ for any reason leave your partner. You… Doug Penhall **fucked up**!" Booker shoved his forefinger and middle finger forcefully into Penhall's chest.

Penhall's jaw dropped as Dennis's words cut through him like glass. He slammed the door to the car open again jumping out of the vintage automobile. He reached through the door and pulled Booker across the console like a child's toy. He then proceeded to slam Booker into the side of his own car. Penhall pulled his fist back as he started to let loose on Booker when he stopped. He struggled to regain his composer as he let his fist fall.

Booker stood still he could feel himself shaking uncontrollably knowing full well he could have put up a fight… a good fight but Penhall would wipe the parking lot up with his face. He was well trained and physically fit but Penhall was an ox.

"Get your hands off of him son."

Penhall swallowed hard as he turned to see Principle Trumble standing behind him. Penhall took a deep breath as he looked back at Booker still glaring frostily back at him.

"I think that I need the two of you in my office after lunch." Trumble raised an eyebrow as he stood in his pristine silk suit. He looked almost model like as he left his hands shoved in his pockets. The suit rippled in the warm afternoon air. "Mr. McQuaid I'll see you after lunch… Mr. Adams, I need a word with you now."

Booker looked over at Penhall as Doug released his collar. He let his hand fall to his sides as he furrowed his brow. _What could Trumble possibly want with Booker now?_

"I'll wait here for you Denn…"

"You'll excuse us Mr. McQuaid. Your mother called and it seems they are releasing your brother from the hospital right now. Perhaps you'll want to go help get him home while on your lunch break." Trumble challenged.

"I'm not leaving."

"Suit yourself. Mr. Adams… if you will please…" Trumble pointed in the direction of the school.

"Take my car… I'll see you in a half hour back in homeroom." Booker raised an eyebrow at Penhall giving him the okay to leave him. "Call my dad and tell him I'm not gonna be home for lunch today." Booker handed Penhall the keys while Penhall watched intently. He could see the concern in Penhall's face. "I'll be fine Doug… go check on Tommy and your mother."

Doug watched Dennis walk away with the principle. The officer glanced over his shoulder one time as Trumble placed his well manicured hand on Booker's leather jacket clad shoulder pushing him in the direction towards the school.

--

"Sit…" the principle pointed to the chair.

"No… I'd rather stand." Booker responded wiping his hand across the whiskers starting to appear on his chin.

"Sit down now Mr. Adams." Trumble pointed at the chair this time raising his voice ever so slightly.

"No." Booker insisted looking coldly back at the quickly reddening face of Bill Trumble.

"You know Mr. Adam's I've had about enough of tired little punks like you. In fact I have done everything possible to remove trash like you who are mucking up the education of my students and terrorizing the teachers. Now sit down or I'll be forced to take action which I don't want to."

"You're selling drugs to your students aren't you… and you're the one who had Tommy… UFFF…" A wooden baseball bat slammed into the base Booker's skull and dropped the officer nearly unconscious onto his stomach. Booker lay silently for a moment feeling the sensation of a pulse in the back of his neck and head. He then flexed his shaky fingers and attempted to push himself up. He felt himself as if he were a million miles away from his own body while he was being rolled over onto his back by two sets of hands. He groaned loudly as his head felt like it would explode.

"I told you to sit down before you caused something you would regret." Trumble repeated as he reached down and plucked something from Booker's pocket. "What's this?"

Booker's eyes cracked opened slightly as he struggled to sit up. He glanced up into the unpleasant and un-amused faces of Principle Trumble and Willy Burke his janitor and obviously his muscle. The young janitor flashed a smile gripping the wooden bat in his large muscular hands.

"Officer Booker…" Trumble shook his head. "I take it you and McQuaid are here to… the McQuaid brothers are police officers? Tisk-tisk… this won't due… get him out of here and we'll take care of him and Officer McQuaid or who ever he is later."

"What do you want me to do with him?" Burke asked still wringing the bat in the palms of his massive hands.

"Chain him up in the boiler room. We have a fire drill planned for later today… maybe its time for the real thing?" Trumble shrugged.

"You're making… a huge mistake…" Booker swallowed hard and his jaw quivered. He shook as he struggled to situate himself up on his elbows.

"Officer… Booker… you made the mistake coming into my school. You caused trouble and ruined my plans. Now I'm gonna seriously mess up yours." Trumble sighed as he lowered himself to the young officer's side pushing the badge back into the officer's jacket pocket. He then looked down at Dennis Booker coldly patting the officer's face.

Booker closed his eyes to the overly friendly pat to his face. The simple pat on the cheek made him feel as if his brains were going to fall apart and leak out his ears. It was overwhelmingly painful. Booker opened his eyes again slowly as he felt Trumble stand up and look over towards Willy Burke who continued to stand beside the principle watching in sheer admiration of the man. He nodded his head as a signal was passed from the principle to the custodian. The janitor took a breath and with one fluid motion he lifted the bat up and then dropped the hard round bottom of the athletic equipment savagely onto Booker's face slamming the officer into peaceful darkness.

--

"Doug…" Hanson mustered a smile as he stood up from his hospital bed and sat down into a wheel chair.

"Hey Tom… how you feeling today?" Doug asked timidly rocking back on his own heals.

"Okay as far as having my brains scrambled." Tom winced as he sat down in the wheel chair. "I'm heading home right now… you think you can come with us?"

"Uh… sure... hello Mrs. Han… uh… mom. I have to pick up Dennis in about fifteen minutes…"

"Hoffs told me you drew the short straw." Hanson laughed and then cringed trying to relax in the chair. "Where is Dennis anyways?"

"He and I had a disagreement about lunch… he is talking to the principle right now. I have to… shit!"

"What?" Hanson caught Penhall's eyes.

"The principle… he… no… he wants to be everyone's friend." Penhall stopped in his tracks scratching his head and realizing what he had just done.

"You left him at the school?" Hanson's eyes grew very wide.

"Call Fuller… I gotta go find Dennis." Penhall gasped.

--

Penhall walked in the front door of the school and straight into the principle's office.

"Where is he?" Doug demanded.

"Well Mr. McQuaid… you're early. I believe I told you after lunch." Mr. Trumble glanced at his watch and then looked up from his computer monitor.

"I said… where is Dennis?" Doug demanded.

"Dennis… oh you mean Officer Booker… well he's right through there."

Without warning the same baseball bat caught Doug Penhall across the chest and dropped him across the floor. As the officer struggled to recover the bat slammed equally hard across the middle of his back leaving Doug Penhall breathless and in a dark dreamless sleep.

"Get him out of here now… shove him in that trash can and just get him out of here. Lock him up down in the boiler room with his partner. I'll meet you there in half an hour."

"Yes sir." Burke nodded as he began the daunting task of lifting the large officer from the floor and into the oversized garbage bin to move him undetected through the school.

--

"Dennis…" Doug's voice was week and his chest hurt to draw a breath.

The other officer whose wrists were chained behind his back sat with his back to the wall and continued to breathe lightly. Blood flowed from his temple and ran heavily along his cheek and down his neck and all across his white t-shirt.

"Dennis… come on Booker… wake up… please…" Doug pleaded with Booker whose head shifted and his breathing became louder.

"That's it… wake up Dennis…"

"Ugghh…" Dennis moaned as his had lay against Penhall's shoulder.

Doug could feel the blistering heat from Dennis's forehead. He felt the warmth from the sticky crimson liquid as it began to run down his own shoulder from Booker's split temple.

"Booker…" Doug coaxed the officer quietly when he heard a noise to his right. He shifted his head towards the bright light as two people walked in the room and down the steps into the boiler room.

"Doug…" Dennis moaned softly. "I'm sorry about what I said… I didn't mean it." Dennis shifted his head again it fell heavily towards his chest.

"Shhh…" Doug retorted feeling badly about Dennis's condition. Dennis continued to groan while occasionally babbling quietly about nothing. "Shhh… Dennis… it's all alright… just hang in there and don't go back to sleep."

"Sleep…" Booker sighed. "So tired… Doug…"

"Well… good morning... I mean good afternoon to the nark's. Hmmm… that just sounded funny as I said that. In fact I just gave a student detention for using that word towards someone else."

"He needs a doctor so why don't you let us go before something bad happens to…"

"Why McQuaid are you implying I don't care or should I say Officer Penhall?" He threw the leather tri fold identification holder at Penhall it landed square in his bruised chest.

"Get up!" Burke pulled Booker to his feet eliciting a groan from the injured officer. He unlocked the handcuffs holding his wrists behind his back long enough to drape them over a steam pipe. He relocked the injured mans wrists leaving Dennis Booker semi conscious and trying halfheartedly to pull his wrists free before he blacked out again.

"Let him go!" Penhall shouted as he watched Booker on his toes continue to struggle with the bonds around his wrists.

"If I were you officer… I think I would be more concerned about myself." Trumble nodded raising his eyebrow.

Burke then reached out and tugged Penhall to his feet. This time he and Trumble opened up on the officer slamming fists and feet into his body as Penhall fell to his knees and continued to struggle to protect his vital organs and his head. He was powerless to stop anything with his arms chained tightly behind his back. It wasn't long before the beating took its toll and he fell hard to the ground and lay prone and unconscious.

"Light the trash cans and get the hell out of here." Trumbel shouted as Willy Burke lit the first trash can of paper and retired sports equipment on fire. The two men ran for the door as the flames began to leap and dance out of control all around them.

"Go!" Trumble shouted again as he and Burke ran for the door to the boiler room slamming it shut behind them.

**Please let me know what you think!!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I know that there are things wrong with this chapter... it is in desperate need of proof reading, but I just wanted to post this. I have had some family issues and have completely disreguarded my stories for too long. Hopefully I am back for a while and I will fix this chapter later. BTW I may be reaching out for a Beta Reader soon as I am finding I need it more and more so if anyone is interested... **

**Thanks again! **

**Chapter 7**

Tom Hanson struggled to his feet as he stepped out of his car clutching his ribs tightly beneath his right arm. His mother had begged him not to follow after Doug Penhall when he had sprinted out of the hospital.

--

"_Tom be reasonable… you have a couple of cracked ribs and a bad concussion. You can not go to that school. Call Adam and let him take care of this."_

"_Mom stop! That is my best friend and yes that's Dennis Booker but I am not leaving them to get the same thing or worse done to them. Besides the next time it could be a kid…I don't even want to think about that one. I'm taking this bastard down if it's the last thing I do." _

"_Tommy please…" Margaret Hanson struggled to hold her tears in as he watched Tom stand up and take his car keys from her frail hands. _

"_I love you mom… call Fuller for me. Tell him it's Trumble… we got him. Booker and Penhall are on the scene." _

_Tom leaned over and kissed his mother's cheek and walked slowly away from her._

_--_

Tom watched as students ran from the classrooms and bells continued to clang signaling a fire somewhere in the school. Smoke billowed out of several windows through out the school building. Hanson surveyed the scene noting students wringing water from their clothing indicating the sprinkler system had kicked in. They pointed and cried as they were in various stages of shock and dismay.

Tom surveyed the scene and noted Dennis and Doug were not where they should be in an emergency situation. Booker's car was empty.

"Crap…" Tom muttered to himself as he made his way to an unguarded door.

"McQuaid!" The booming voice caused Tom to jump as he just entered the building. "Where do you thing you're going… boy?" Roger Sullivan asked as he grasped Tom's right arm in his powerful left hand.

Tom had his maximum load with Mr. Sullivan as he shoved his badge forcefully into the teachers face.

"This is what I'm doing here _sir_… now let me go… my partners are missing." Hanson hissed.

Roger Sullivan let his eyes wonder over the young officer's badge and stepped back in disbelief_. This young man who had gone out of his way to make his life a living hell for the last few months was a police officer? What the hell was he doing his school?_

"You're a cop?" Sullivan blurted out the obvious.

"Yeah and I gotta go." Hanson and Sullivan were both wringing wet by the time Sullivan had regained his composure.

"I'll help you." Sullivan responded curtly.

"No… I can do this myself." Hanson shook his head.

"Like hell… have you seen yourself lately? You can barely stand on your own two feet. If the other two are in half as bad of shape that you are in they won't be able to make it on their own." Sullivan stepped towards the officer. "I am fifth generation Marine Corps and I am not taking no for an answer."

Hanson licked his lips and squinted his eyes as he looked up at the water continuing to drench them. He wanted to walk back out the door and get out from under the liquid rapidly cooling his battered and bruised body.

"Okay…" Hanson wasn't going to win either. He nodded his head as he clutched at his ribs and nearly doubled over from dizziness.

"You gonna make it boy?" Sullivan asked grasping Hanson's shoulders until the unstable officer found his footing again.

"Yeah…" Hanson swallowed and then looked up at Mr. Sullivan whose eyes glinted with the appearance of a warrior. "Let's go." Hanson straightened back up and began to walk swiftly down the smoky water logged corridor.

--

"Penhall… Doug… wake up…" Dennis choked as he tugged desperately at the metal cuffs securing him to the rapidly warming pipe above him. His wrists were starting to burn where the foam padding around the pipes had ripped leaving the searing steam pipes exposed. Dennis let a hiss of air through his teeth as his wrist came in contact with the blistering heat.

"Oh GOD… Doug… come on."

The fire was still dancing around them as sprinklers were trying to kick on in the boiler room. Brown rusty colored sludge drained over top of the men and then it soon ran clear as the dirty pipes were now clear of rust. Booker shook as the frigid water rained over him. His ever reddening wrists were burning even more as the cool liquid caused steam to rise as it made contact with the exposed scorching pipes.

"Ohhh…" Doug was starting to stir as the flames started to falter from the water which squelched its air supply. The only problem now was the smoke he and Penhall were now sucking in.

"That's it Doug… you gotta get up… come on…"

Dennis began to cough hard as Doug struggled to regain consciousness. Each spasm brought about the ripping feeling in his beaten abdomen and ribs. His head began to swim again as his legs buckled. He was brought back to life quickly as his left wrist hit the exposed metal pipe.

"AAAGGGHHH!"

--

Hanson stopped in his tracks as he heard what sounded like a cry of pain.

"What?" Sullivan asked as he stopped behind him.

"Do you hear that? Hanson asked as the water continued to rain down on them.

"_Doug… please… come on…"_

"It's Dennis…" Hanson through the door to the nearest classroom open

The two men quickly peaked around the corner and could only see empty desks and water. The voice of Dennis Booker pleading with Doug Penhall between choking coughs could be heard beyond the sound of indoor rain.

"Where…"

"The heating ducts…" Sullivan pointed at the large metal grate on the wall.

The officer and the teacher scrambled over to the large metal grating covering the wall. They could clearly hear Booker through gasping breaths trying to coax Dennis.

"_Doug…" _Booker coughed harder still. His voice was beginning to crack_. "Doug… the smoke… hurts… please..." _

"Where are they, Sullivan?" Hanson asked running his fingers through his soaked hair.

"Boiler room… come on." Sullivan helped Hanson to his feet and the two moved swiftly down the stairs.

--

Booker's eyes were full of tears and his lungs burned from the overpowering smoke. The water had slowed the flames but they were starting to rise again. The heat was starting to take over again. The water in the boiler room was beginning to slow down it was becoming a trickle.

_Surely the Metro Fire Department was gonna find them. They had to. _

Booker hissed through his teeth as the pipe burned and blistered his wrists again. He was trying to stay up on his tip toe's to prevent his exposed skin from burning on the steam pipe. The only problem with this was the cramps he was getting in his calves. His whole body was trembling. His head was pounding mercilessly. He could feel the blood still running down the side of his head as his eyes felt like they would not stay open much longer. He was drained.

"Doug… please…" His voice cracked as he pleaded with his partner who was trying to awaken but he just couldn't bring himself around.

Dennis gritted his teeth as he struggled to stay up on his tiptoes. He tried to take a deep breath but began to choke on the smoke as it flooded his senses again. He could feel the world swimming around him again. He legs couldn't support much longer. He was gonna pass out and there was nothing he could do to help himself. This was it… he and Doug Penhall were gonna be taken out by a high school principle and his janitorial lackey.

Dennis's chin sagged heavily to his chest as he began to succumb to the smoke, the concussion, the loss of blood, the searing heat. His eyes fluttered and closed as his knees buckled and he submitted to the pain unconsciously.

--

Roger Sullivan tugged on the boiler room door and with some effort was able to get it to open. He instantly pulled Hanson back as the smoke poured relentlessly out of the room.

"Let me go." Hanson pulled away from the older man and charged into the smoldering room.

Sullivan took a breath and pulled off his water soaked dress shirt and covered his mouth and nose with it to prevent too much smoke inhalation. He tugged at his t-shirt collar and charged in behind the young officer.

"Tommy…" He could make out the hellish flames leaping all around. He could hear Tom Hanson talking soothingly to someone. He followed the voice and crashed into Tom and someone else.

"Good… take care of Dennis… get him down. I gotta find Doug."

"Dennis… Adams?" Sullivan looked at the figure whose arms were chained above his head. His eyes were closed and he was moaning softly. "He's a cop too?"

"Yeah… his name's Booker and Doug… his name is Penhall. He's not my brother."

Roger reached up and felt the hand cuffs around Booker's wrists and then his hand came in contact with the painfully hot metal steam pipe.

"SHIT!"

"What?" Hanson bellowed back as he and the bigger officer made their way towards the two.

"He's chained to a steam pipe and I just burned myself… he's probably burned pretty badly. Do you have a key to these?" Sullivan asked loudly holding Dennis up as best he could. The officer's head was still slick with crimson blood.

Penhall staggered forward holding tightly to his own chest.

"I'll help." Penhall and Hanson held as tightly as they could to Booker while Sullivan unchained one wrist and then swiftly leaned over. The two other officers allowed Dennis to fold over Sullivan's shoulder.

"Let's get out of here." Sullivan shouted as he straightened up. Penhall wrapped his arm around Hanson's shoulder and the two men leaned heavily on each other walking out as swiftly as possible.

--

As they entered the hallway the smoke started to thin out again and the water began to rain heavily on them again. Penhall looked up towards the ceiling, squinting his eyes and allowing the liquid to run over his grimy soot and blood covered face.

"They blocked off the water to the boiler room." Penhall noted as his teeth began to chatter from the frigid liquid.

Penhall and Hanson both gritted their teeth as they pushed forward up the stairs. They were followed by Sullivan as he panted while carrying the unconscious Dennis Booker on his shoulder.

Fire hoses cris-crossed the hallways as the officers and teacher made their way through to the front of the school. They were soaked and starting to falter. Hanson and Penhall were both stumbling heavily trying to make their way out the door. Sullivan was panting loudly as he carried the muscular officer. Penhall and Hanson watched the door as it neared them. Fire fighters shouted loudly at them as Sullivan felt as if his chest was going to explode. The world began to grow dark and he soon couldn't hear anything as he dropped heavily to his knees. Booker rolled off of his shoulder and fell heavily onto the floor. Penhall and Hanson turned when they heard the noise behind them.

**Please read and review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for the support as I move on to try and finish this and my other stories. Your words of encouragment have meant the world to me! FYH... it's almost over and I hope that you drop another bomb of brillance on me again soon! **

**Chapter 8**

The crimson spot spread unevenly across the surface of Roger Sullivan's white t-shirt. The look of terror in his eyes indicated he had been caught off guard. The pain was evident as he clutched his chest and then collapsed slowly to the floor. Hanson and Penhall both turned and caught the eye of Trumble's henchmen Willy Burke. Who watched with wide eyed wonder as the ex-Marine collapsed and fell to the floor. Burke glanced over to where Booker lay crumpled and unconscious against a door. He then turned his attention to Hanson who was fighting Penhall to go to Sullivan's aid.

"Hold it!" Harry Ioki shouted as he shoved himself past Hanson and Penhall. He had his weapon trained on the bulky janitor who looked as if he was going to finish Booker off next. Ioki's lengthy ink colored locks clung to his face as the water continued to rain over the officers.

"Get off Penhall…" Hanson shrugged the bigger officer off of him as Ioki shoved Burke forcefully into the wall while reading him his Miranda Rights.

Hoffs and Fuller rushed in at the same time as the rain falling inside of the school was finally cut off. Noting that all other officers were moving on their own Hoffs skidded to a halt on the floor next to Booker who was struggling to open his eyes.

"Am… am I… dead?" Booker whispered in choked hushed tones.

"No… you're still breathing." Judy soothed.

"Darn…" Booker coughed again. He poked out his bottom lip as he closed his eyes to the pain bombarding his head.

"Why?" Judy asked with a soft smile.

Booker let his eyes flutter open again and he answered softly.

"I thought I saw… an angel that looked a lot like Judy Hoffs…" his voice trailed off again as he closed his eyes and lost consciousness once again.

Judy furrowed her brow as she gently ran her coffee colored fingers across the bruise rising on the side of his filthy face.

"Shhh… you had your shot Booker… just rest now." She forced a smile across her lips as Ioki glanced down at her the look of concern flashing across his face as he shoved the janitor across the corridor and through the front door.

Adam Fuller ran back out the door shouting for medical help with the four men in the building. He watched as Ioki shoved the burly janitor into the waiting arms of four Metro officers.

"Get him out of here." He seethed as he turned his attention back to the doorway.

"Do you see the principle… Trumble?" Penhall asked gasping for a breath as Fuller walked back into the building. The officer clung tightly to his ribs while he spoke to his captain. Fuller grabbed the young officer's shoulders helping to study the man who was starting wobble on his feet. "He did this… he's the mastermind behind all of this. He's also the dealer we've been looking for. He's pushing the kids out he doesn't want here."

"Silk suit?" Ioki asked his cat like eyes surveying the crowd of students who were watching the fire department as they tried to clean up the fire hoses. They started to part the waters for the on coming ambulance.

"Gray…"

"Got'em." Ioki whispered to nobody as he began walking towards the neatly dressed fashion forward man.

Ioki jumped off of the cement rise that led to the school. He was followed rapidly by Adam Fuller and three other Metro PD officers. The principle must have realized he was in trouble as he took off rushing through the scores of students gathered to watch in nervous anticipation.

--

"Mr. Sullivan… come on…" Hanson cradled the teacher in his arms as he struggled to regain his breath.

"You… did… good Tom…" Sullivan gurgled as he continued to struggle to breathe.

"Hang on sir… please hang on." Hanson continued to encourage his new found friend. "We need help now!" Hanson shouted as he watched the life slip from Roger Sullivan's eyes.

Doug Penhall watched silently from where he had slipped to the floor waiting for the medics to be given access to the school. His head rested heavily on a young female firefighter's chest. He flinched as he watched the older man struggle for breath. He shuddered as he watched Judy looking around helplessly as she held Booker's head in her lap. His eyes still closed to the world around him. A first responder from the fire department was bouncing from one person to the next evaluating injuries when three men charged into the school toting a stretcher, oxygen tank and cardiac monitor with them.

"We need to get him out of here." The taller woman shouted to the man to her right as she ripped the material of Sullivan's white t-shirt.

"…you're… a good… cop… lousy student…" Sullivan tried to smile through the blood now dribbling from his lips. His teeth were deep crimson from the liquid which had begun to fill his lungs. He was drowning in his own fluids and there wasn't much anyone could do about it. Sullivan held his grip on Hanson's hand as the medics loaded him onto the cot and forcefully separated the two men.

"NO!" Hanson screamed as two Metro officers restrained him while the teacher was rushed to the back of the ambulance to be transported to County.

"This one needs to go next." The young female holding Penhall shouted.

"This one is pretty bad too." A young male sitting with Hoffs and Booker protested.

Hanson looked over at Booker whose wrists were an awful shade of red and white. They were also covered in broken and unbroken blisters. The metal hand cuffs still hung like a bracelet on Dennis's right wrist. His face was a bloody mess while the left side of his face revealed an ever darkening bruise across his temple and his eye; running down his cheek fading just above his cheekbone.

Penhall was growing pale as he continued to clutch his chest like a child holding tight to his favorite toy. His face wasn't battered as badly as Booker's but he was still a mess of soot and smoke. He had closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again making eye contact with his best friend. He swallowed hard and blinked. He took a breath coughed. He tried to smile but it was obvious he was in a lot of pain. Hanson walked over to him and took one of his hands in his own.

"You're gonna be okay Doug." He offered with tears in his eyes.

"Thanks…" Doug answered softly as he squeezed the hand in his own. His best friend… his partner... "Thanks… for finding us…" he squeaked.

Hanson tried to smile but all he could feel were tears running down his face. He turned his head to see Booker being loaded onto a gurney. His face was covered with an oxygen mask. He was then covered with a heavy blanket. Hoffs was pushed to the side where she leaned against the wet wall watching the people shuffle Booker out of the school. She rubbed her tired eyes with the tips of her fingers as she watched them move to Penhall who wasn't fighting at all with being placed on the cart. It wasn't long until Penhall was strapped down and moving towards the door. Hanson rose to his feet and joined Judy against the wall. She laid her head on his comfortable shoulder. The two followed Penhall from the school and stood at the top of the steps watching the ambulance carrying their friends depart. Now all they could do was wait.

--

"Hold it Trumble!" Ioki shouted as the Ken doll like principle pushed and shoved his way through endless waves of students. He was heading past the athletic complex towards the student parking lot. He turned a corner and continued on his path to freedom. Ioki kept up with his pace but was having trouble cutting off his lead… until he made a big mistake.

Bill Trumble ran across a path for student access into the parking lot and collided with a battered blue Toyota rolling onto the hood, smashing the windshield and then rolling onto the ground. The man lay still on the ground in apparent shell shock over being hit by a car. He rolled onto his back as Harry Ioki pulled his weapon and pointed into the older man's face.

"Next time… look… both ways when crossing. You're under arrest!" The handsome Asian man huffed.

"Great… job… Harry…" Fuller arrived and bent over at the waist holding tightly to his knees drawing in deep breaths.

The two were soon joined by the additional Metro officers who pulled the man off of the ground, his suit paints ripped at the knees and his nose trickling blood. His always neatly placed hair was scattered almost like a wind tousled birds feathers. He grunted loudly as he taken to the police car to await an ambulance to transport him to be checked out.

The young female student emerged from her battered vehicle shedding tears of concern and shame for hitting the older man; her schools principle administrator.

"I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean too… I…" an officer from Metro sat the young driver down and began to get a statement from her.

Fuller took a deep breath and looked down at this young officer who looked on as he watched the three ambulances departing the school in a hurry. He knew that two officers and a brave teacher were on their way to the hospital.

"Come on Harry… lets get Hanson and Hoffs and head out."

"Sure thing Cap'n." Ioki nodded as they walked back towards the school.

**Please Read and Review!!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Yes... a short chapter to end it! Hope you aren't too disappointed with the ending but I liked it! I am still waiting for your next brilliant brainstorm FYH!!! **

**Love Ya'll**

**Chapter 9**

Hanson watched as the local VFW removed the flag from the elegant wooden casket and folded it. He struggled as the three honor guardsmen fired seven shots a piece to honor the fallen hero. He stood behind a young girl about thirteen years old. She was tall and had ringlet curls falling grandly down her back. She wore a black over coat and sucked in a deep breath as the grey haired man in the white dress shirt approached her. He wore a black cover on his head which proudly displayed the yellow letters VFW, Korea and Vietnam. His sunken eyes and weathered face showed the signs of age on them as he reverently approached carrying the flag of a proud country. He bent at the waist and placed it in the tender child's hands. SHe raised her head showing her tear streaked face making eye contact with the older man. She took a deep breath as her chest began to fall and she started to sink into her seat.

"Miss Sullivan… Please except this flag…" his voice cracked as he finished. "…on behalf of a grateful… nation." He then shouted a command and the small group of men raised their hands in a salute to the beautiful young girl. Then the bugles began to play the notes of "Taps" the tune that truly made the tears begin to prick at his eyes and spill over onto his cheeks.

Hanson watched as a tear streaked down the commander's face. He sadly watched the young girl lean heavily onto her mothers shoulder and weep for her fallen father. She was too young to be fatherless. She was much too young.

"This concludes the services for Roger Sullivan…" the owner of the funeral parlor stepped forward as the representative of the family.

The crowd began to mill past the casket saying their final farewells to the Military man. Hanson walked away from the group and stood by the tree as the teachers and students greeted the family and each other. As the group began to clear out Hanson watched as the little girl held the flag firmly in her hands and stood up to walk away. Tom saw this as a chance to say goodbye to his friend.

He approached the cherry wood box and placed his hand on the top. He looked down at the green carpeting under the canvas cover. He looked around to see that most people had walked away. He then spoke up in a quiet voice.

"I… I uh never got to thank you. You saved Dennis's life and Doug's. Hell… you probably saved mine too. All I know is that all three of us would have died if it wasn't for you." Tom ran his fingers through his hair as he looked down at the green carpet again. He licked his lips as he looked up at the canvas again. He could feel the tears as they ran hot down his cheeks. "I never got to tell you how sorry I was for treating you like I did. But I think you knew that… it was all because I… uh… I had a job to do." Tom sniffled as he wiped the tears nervously from his face. "I lost my dad when I was seventeen and I… never got to say goodbye. I never got to tell him how much he meant to me. I… just miss him so much Roger… I miss my dad. But I promise that your daughter will know that you died saving my life and two others. I promise she'll know…"

Tom felt a hand on his back which made him nearly jump out of his skin. He turned around to see who was there. His blood shot eyes met a set of blue blood shot eyes and dark curls. She was clutching a flag in her left hand as she looked up at Tom.

"My dad… he saved you?" She asked softly. "I mean I didn't mean to hear you but I wanted to say goodbye and I walked up and heard you. He saved you and two others?"

Tom felt his jaw quiver as he sucked in a shaky breath. He reached out his right hand and offered it to the young girl. She placed her long boney hand into his much bigger one. He shook it lightly as he made eye contact with the young child.

"Y-Yeah… my name is Officer Tom Hanson and your father saved my life and the life of Officer Doug Penhall and Officer Dennis Booker. They wanted to be here but their still in the hospital recovering from injuries from that day."

"You look young." She smiled her blue eyes showing his intense emotions. "My name's Callie"

"Yeah…" Hanson smiled as he looked down and then back at the girl. "I was working in the school that day and he stepped in front of… he…"

"…bullet. Mom told me he was shot." She looked at the wooden casket again as she moved closer to Tom. She let her hand wonder over the smooth surface of her father's wooden casket. She looked down and pulled something out of her hip pocket.

"I want to have this." The little girl handed Tom a set of metal dog tags and a bullet casing. She looked up at Tom Hanson as a single tear slid down her cheek. Your daddy and my daddy are looking down at us and I think they are both proud." She offered a warm smile through her gut wrenching tears.

Tom looked down at the young girl and was blown away at her words. His mouth hung agape as he pondered her thoughtful words. She was right. How could a thirteen year old girl be right about something so huge? All he could ever think about was how his father had died, how they never found the killer, how he had lost so much when he was seventeen. But she had the answer summed up so easily. His mother had told him this so many times but it had taken a little girl to make him believe it.

"You're right Callie… their proud of both of us."

**The End **

**Please read and review and thanks to you all! I'll look forward to catching you all again during another story!**


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